Murray Out, Wawrinka, Thiem Win At Monte Carlo Masters; Djokovic, Tsitsipas Tues

Day two of the Monte Carlo Masters saw two former US Open champions win and another fall out.

Stan Wawrinka rallied from a set down to defeat Tallon Griekspoor 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. The 38-year-old Wawrinka is a former champion in Monte Carlo.

“It was really important to stay calm with myself,” Wawrinka said to the ATP. “In the first round you need to find your game. The first match on clay is never easy against a good player. I am happy to get through. It was important to fight until the end.”

Also advancing was past US Open winner Dominic Thiem who collected a much-needed good win over Richard Gasquet 6-1, 6-4.

“At the start I played very well,” Thiem said. “It was good for me that I broke him. I was going ahead the whole match. I am pleased with the performance. Richard is in good form, he already won a tournament this year. It is always tough but at the same time nice to play him because he has such a nice game and is a legend of tennis.”

Thiem will now face Holger Rune on Wednesday.

Andy Murray, though, tumbled out in routine fashion to 14th-seeded Alex De Minaur 6-1, 6-3. The 24-year-old Di Minaur lost a total of 11 points on serve and never faced a break point in the 86 minute win. The Australian is now 3-0 against Murray.

Also going down was Murray’s top ranked countryman Cameron Norrie. The 11th-seeded Norrie fell to the Argentine lefty Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 6-4. The lefty Cerundolo surrendered just three points on first serve.

also on Monday, Matteo Berrettini bested Maxime Cressy 6-4, 6-2. Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut got by Filip Krajinovic in three 5-7, 7-6(12-10), 6-1. Botic Van De Zandschulp toppled Marton Fucsovics in a m3-6, 7-6(7-2), 6-1. Jack Draper topped Sebastian Baez of Argentina in straight sets 6-3, 7-5.

Diego Schwartzman, Jan-Lennard Struff and Alexei Popyrin were also winners.

The Tuesday ticket boasts second round led by former champions Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas who open their 2023 clay season.

Djokovic, 2-time champion, faces Ivan Gakhov in a first-time tour-level clash.

Two-time defending winner Tsitsipas will battle Benjamin Bonzi. Tsitsipas has won both of their tour-level head-to-head meetings. They last met in the 2022 Mallorca semifinals.

Also, No. 5 Andrey Rublev draws Jaume Munar, No. 9 Karen Khachanov collides with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, No. 10 Hubert Hurkacz gets Jack Draper, No. 13 Alexander Zverev meets with Alexander Bublik and Grigor Dimitrov draws hot shot American Ben Shelton.

TUESDAY MONTE CARLO SCHEDULE
COURT RAINIER III
Matches Start At: 11:00 am
Alexander BUBLIK (KAZ) vs Alexander ZVEREV (GER) [13]
Andrey RUBLEV [5] vs Jaume MUNAR (ESP)
Novak DJOKOVIC (SRB) [1] vs [Q] Ivan GAKHOV
Benjamin BONZI (FRA) vs Stefanos TSITSIPAS (GRE) [2]

COURT DES PRINCES
Matches Start At: 11:00 am
Ben SHELTON (USA) vs Grigor DIMITROV (BUL)
Alejandro DAVIDOVICH FOKINA (ESP) vs Karen KHACHANOV [9]
Miomir KECMANOVIC (SRB) vs Lorenzo MUSETTI (ITA) [16]
Hubert HURKACZ (POL) [10] vs Jack DRAPER (GBR)